Bulleid Pacifics - Past or Present

What state is 34051 in mechanically, that would determine if its theasable to steam her, if Cheltenham was anything to go by, she might need less work than most might have thought, whilst she is a ropley, are there any plans to do a examination to asertain her condition, she has spent most of the time in a warm dry museum, but was she overhauled prior to being put on display, or like so many run into the ground. withdrawn, sent to the verious relic stores , then finally to york.

 

IIRC she was withdrawn before Whinnie popped his clogs, and rushed back............................ if that was the case then I doubt she would be in good mechanical condition.......................... though I may be completely wrong!

And here she is hauling said train..............................................

 

Probably pretty tired mechanically, but at least it wouldn't be a Barry restoration.

 

Should be an update due next month on http://www.gwsr.com/enthusiasts/departments/po-restoration-project/progress-reports/2013.aspx I visited Toddington just over a week ago and spoke to someone in the loco department who said the owning group would like to have it ready for the start of next season (i.e., March 2014) if possible or failing that, to make its début ib the 2014 gala, which is to beheld in late May. Apparently the smoke deflectors have arrived, so the next time a picture appears of 35006, it should look pretty complete at the front end. Other work is also being done, but I can't remember exactly what my contact said it was. It certainly sounds like it's not far off.

Only passing on info second hand, so I hope this is accurate (and helpful).

 

It really will be nice to see a 'new' MN bucking the general restoration record associated with the class.

 

I think we can both say we are right!............................... http://svsfilm.com/nineelms/wcf.htm you have to scroll down to the first pic of 34051, and the relevant text is underneath!

 

True, but "stored" in this context probably means "withdrawn" pending the inevitable................................ as in if Sir W's demise wasn't on the cards, then that would have been the end of active service for 35051.... but then again, if W C had lasted longer she may have been bought out of "retirement" whatever the state of steam on the Southern................................

 

Where was she when withdrawn, or put into store, that could have some bearing , if she was a Salisbury or Exmouth loco, then a lot of locos were withdrawn because the Western region took over these sheds and introduced diesels very soon afterwards, the warships taking over much of the Exeter traffic ,

 

She was a Salisbury engine, and I quote -"The locomotive No. 34051 'Winston Churchill' had been stored in 'semi retirement' fittingly within its home depot Salisbury (old 72B), perhaps just waiting for the clarion call to arms."

 

"Stored" doesn't necessarily mean "withdrawn". Quite frequently, electrification and / or dieselisation meant that the regular duties for a group of locos disappeared, but they would be stored for use at times of high demand - often things like Christmas parcels trains etc. After the Kent Coast Electrification, quite a number of Wainwright 4-4-0s were stored for long periods and bought out each Christmas before becoming dormant again for the next year.

Tom

 

It might or might be, it's a moot point,the fact is she was "out of traffic "! Possibly never to turn a wheel again ............................................... so she must have been fairly mechanically sound to be the "chosen one"

 

i remember one brighton station open day, many years ago, when the stored engines from the preston park relic store were put on display in the station, i got chatting to the minder sat on 34051, an to my eyes ,old railway man, he said at the time that it wouldnt take much work then to get her working again, but in the meanwhile she spent time at several places before arriving at york, if it wasnt drained fully of any water remaining in the boiler after its last steaming, i would expect the boiler to need a lot of work .

 

From what I've read, that appears to be the case! Hence the cosmetic restoration................................... Maybe Anthony could shed some light................... as in it would cost too much to steam her again............

 

If you look at the loco you can see there wasn't any work done to the loco after it was removed from service apart from a repaint. There is still coal ash and small bits of coal under the cab floor.

 

Going off on a tangent, I read a book where the Duke of Norfolk recalled Sir Winston on his death bed asking for his funeral train to leave from Waterloo as a final gesture to de Gaulle. Apocryphal may be but it made me chuckle.

 

It would have been 'interesting' if 34051 had been used on de Gaulle's state visit to these shores in 1960. Doubt he'd have liked that much!

 

I'm sure I saw SWC running at the mid-hants about 20 years or so ago. Maybe it was another BoB with SWC plates..

 

I think I've seen a picture of this from the 90's and it was 34105 in disguise.